1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system and method for controlling a traffic light, and more particularly to a system and method for controlling traffic lights to enable faster response time for an emergency response vehicle (ERV) by generating traffic light control signals that control traffic lights along the response route of the ERV. The system can be localized to the ERV and the traffic light to be controlled, or the system can incorporate other systems such as a global positioning system (GPS) and/or traffic monitoring system (TMS), to aid in the traffic light control. Additionally, the system and method can be modified to incorporate multiple ERVs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since the first electric traffic light was installed at a street intersection in Detroit, Mich., in 1920, the traffic light has become a most common device used to regulate the flow of traffic. Generally, traffic light systems rely on timers or vehicle sensors to control the cycle of the traffic light between its red and green stages, thus allowing different directions of traffic flow to enter into and pass through the intersection safely.
When responding to an emergency, emergency response vehicles (ERVs), such as police cars, fire trucks and ambulances, and their personnel, need to minimize the response time required to arrive at their destination. As a general rule, these ERVs are permitted to pass through an intersection against a traffic light to reduce their emergency response time. Often, though, a responding ERV must stop at an intersection to avoid collisions with other vehicles that enter the intersection. These other vehicles enter the intersection because the traffic light is green for their traveling direction and usually they do not observe the approaching ERV. This situation not only increases the response time of the ERV, but also creates a dangerous traffic situation.
Not only does traffic entering an intersection that an ERV is passing through create dangers and increase response time, the traffic might also completely prevent the ERV from entering into the intersection altogether. Motorists often have the habit of entering into an intersection when they cannot exit it. This phenomenon is referred to as gridlock. When gridlock occurs, response time can sky rocket. Unfortunately, for the ERV and the person in the emergency situation, the ERV cannot anticipate which route to take to avoid the least amount of gridlock and minimize response time. In addition to the gridlock situation, a similar situation of general traffic flow (or lack thereof) and traffic density along a response route can greatly increase response time.
There is therefore a need for a traffic light control system that decreases response time by anticipating a response route of an ERV. Such a system minimizes dangerous traffic conditions and gridlock, decreases the response time of an ERV, and increases the safety along a response route traveled by an ERV to its destination.
It is, therefore, an aspect of the present invention to provide a system and method for remotely controlling a traffic light.
It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a system and method for decreasing the response time of an ERV responding to an emergency by remotely controlling a traffic light.
It is a further aspect of the present invention to provide a system and method for anticipating a route from a present location of an ERV responding to an emergency to its destination, and controlling traffic lights along that route.
It is still a further aspect of the present invention to provide a system and method for determining a best route from a present location to a destination for an ERV responding to an emergency to travel and controlling traffic lights along the best route.
It is yet a farther aspect of the present invention to provide a system and method for controlling traffic lights for multiple ERVs traveling in the same vicinity.
The above aspects can be achieved by providing a system for controlling traffic lights, comprising a vehicle having a transmitter and a receiver for transmitting and receiving traffic control signals, and a control unit for processing said traffic control signals; and a traffic control module having a transmitter and a receiver for transmitting and receiving said traffic control signals, a control unit for processing said traffic control signals, traffic light control logic for controlling said at least one traffic light, and means to connect to said at least one traffic light; wherein said traffic control signals control the flow of traffic about said at least one traffic light enabling said vehicle to travel from a present location to a destination passing through intersections at which traffic flow is controlled by said at least one traffic light.